Bonfire
by TotalZayaGirl14
Summary: Can you picture me? It's not too hard. The dark hair and famous blue eyes are a dead giveaway. Most don't even need to ask for my name. However, my family history, does not determine who I am. You know the story, but you don't know me. My name is Azalea Mellark, and my life is about to change, along with everybody else's. Starting with one horrible announcement...
1. New Beginnings

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of it's characters. That is Suzanne Collins' Intellectual Property. I don't even own the kids, I just put names to their faces.

I slowly opened my eyes and glanced out my window. The sun was barely peeking out through the barely visible clouds of the early morning sky. I sat up in bed and turned my head to look at the small digital clock that sat on the small wooden bedside table to the left of where I sleep. It read 5:00 am. _Perfect._

I swung my legs over the side of my bed and slowly walked to my dresser. I pulled on a pair of worn out brown pants, a dark green shirt, and brown hunting boots. After quickly doing my long dark hair in a braid down my back I slowly opened my bedroom door and crept down the hallway, past my 8 year old brother's bedroom, and my parents'. As quiet as I could, I walked down the creaky staircase, entering the first floor of my home in the Victors' Village.

After walking past the kitchen, I came to the front door. Right beside it was a small coat closet which held my bow, a few sets of arrows, and my grandfather's hunting jacket. My grandfather died when my mother was only eleven in a mining explosion.

After I pulled on the jacket that was maybe 2 or 3 sizes too big for me, and grabbed my bow and a set of arrows, I opened the front door and quietly closed it behind me. The morning air was cool and damp. I could see the dew shimmering in tiny beads on every blade of grass. The air smelled sweet of honeysuckle.

It takes only about 10 minutes to get to the fence that separates the woods from the small town of District 12 in which I live. The fence is supposed to have an electrical current running through it 24/7, but I know how to tell when a fence has electricity. It's one of the very few things my mother taught me. That and how to hunt. I don't have a very close relationship with my mother. I don't think anyone really does. I guess I have the Hunger Games to blame for that.

The Hunger Games. It practically put a huge damper on my life before I was even born. It completely ruined my parents' lives. The Hunger Games, was something our country of Panem did for 75 years. It was an annual fight to the death on live TV.

So it went like this. Each year every district (there were only 12 at the time, now there's 13) would pick two kids between the ages of 12 and 18, called tributes, to "play". They would take the innocent kids to the Capitol to be all fancied up for chariot rides, dinner parties, interviews, and then thrown into an arena where they were forced to kill each other. There were 24 tributes in all. Only one made it out alive. Until my parents came along that is.

My parents are Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. I am their daughter Azalea Primrose Mellark.

I don't really know the full story of what happened, just the basics. My mother volunteered to take her 12 year old sister Prim's place in the Games when she was reaped. (I'm named after Prim, who is now dead.) My father was reaped that same year. Ever since my father announced his love for my mother on the live pre-Hunger Games Interviews, they have been referred to as the Star Crossed Lovers from District 12. Then they formed some type of alliance towards the end of the Games and then somehow they both won. Apparently, the Capitol wasn't happy about this so they tossed living victors into the 75th Hunger Games A.K.A The Quarter Quell. For some reason they made it out of there alive too, along with a few other people. Then there was the Rebellion in which my mother was some type of political figure or something. They called her the Mockingjay. I think that was because her District token was a Mockingjay pin. We still have it. My mom was also known as The Girl Who Was on Fire but honestly, I have no clue why.

That is why my life is never normal. Some people call me The Little Girl on Fire or Little Mockingjay, even though I am 14 now. It's okay most of the time in my district because people are pretty used to me. Although whenever I go somewhere such as the market for instance, I'll sometimes get waves from random people and some even shake my hand or try to start conversations with me. I try to be as nice as I can but people want to be meeting an extraordinary girl who is the daughter of the Star Crossed Lovers when really…I'm just ordinary. It's really quite hectic when I leave my district though. Like when my family goes to visit my mother's mom in her district, there are cameras and mobs. So grandma usually just comes to District 12.

I slide my bow and arrows under the fence and then follow with my body. As I walk through the woods, I see my best friend Mike Hawthorne sitting by the lake.

Author's Note: So how am I doing so far? Do you love it? Hate it? Review Please!


	2. History Topics

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

"So, will you be finding a way to skip school all this month?" asks Mike chucking a rock in the shimmering blue water of the lake. It lands with a small splash.

What was that supposed to mean? "Why would I be skipping school?" I asked him as I tossed a rock in the lake too. "Not quite as far as me yet, but don't worry, you'll get better if you keep practicing." He says with a smirk. I roll my eyes and smile. "You didn't answer my question." I say turning to grab another rock. "Well I just figured you would be. Considering you hate discussing the particular topic that we're going to be focusing on in History Class for the next month starting tomorrow." He says as he throws another rock.

What exactly would we be discussing in History that would be so bad to make me want to skip school? But then it dawned on me. _Oh great._

I dropped the rock I was about to throw. "We have to learn about the Hunger Games now?" I asked him, my voice full of dread. "Ding, ding, ding! How could you forget?" He asks picking up his bow and arrows. "I guess I just try to forget." I tell him while I gather up my hunting gear as well. I also grabbed my game bag. I'd shot two squirrels, one bird, and a beaver.

"I just don't get why you're so uptight about it. Your parents did great things." He says brushing the dirt off his pants. "I am not uptight!" I snap. He gives me a knowing look and a smirk. He looks a ton like his father Gale. The grey eyes, dark hair, olive skin. He looked like a Seam boy, which his father was. My mother was from the Seam also, her and Gale were best friends growing up. I pretty much look like I'm from the Seam, except for my blue eyes which I got from my father. He came from a merchant family.

"It's gonna be okay Azalea, it's not like we actually have to watch the games or anything." He says reassuringly. "Still, it's just all kind of creepy." I explain to him starting off towards the "Electric" fence.

"How is it creepy?" Mike asks following me. "Oh, I'm sorry if you don't find the idea of learning about your own parents in History class creepy." I say annoyed. "I'm sorry, I don't. I think it might be actually kind of cool." He says with a shrug. "Maybe I'm just weird then." I say. "Azalea, I think we established that a long time ago." He says. I roll my eyes and smile, then duck under the fence. He follows shortly after.

"You wanna come to my place and divide up the game?" He asks holding up the brown bag. "Yeah, sure." I say. As we are running towards his house, I think about how much I'm going to be made fun of in the following weeks to come.

As Mike opens the front door, the sounds of his family fill my ears. He has a huge family. His father Gale, his mother Reeva, his 23 year old sister Tameka and her one year old son Beebo (His real name's Breayden, everyone just calls him Beebo.) Mike's 18 year old brother Rayman, then there's Mike, his 12 year old brother Nicky, and his 8 year old sister Shay. Her and my brother Justin play together sometimes.

As we walked into the house, I could see that all of Mike's siblings were sitting in the living room. Nicky and Shay were sitting on the floor with plates of food, Rayman was sitting on the couch with his cell phone talking to his girlfriend Leslie no doubt, and Tameka was sitting to the right of him with Beebo. As we entered the room, Shay ran over and wrapped her arms around me in a big hug and Nicky came over and stuttered "H-hi Azalea." with a smile on his face. He's had a crush on me ever since he was five. It's actually quite cute. Rayman was still chit-chatting away on his phone and Tameka just looked up and rolled her eyes a bit. I don't know what I ever did to her did but Tameka has never liked me.

Just then Gale walks out of the kitchen and smiles. "Why hello Azalea! How are your parents these days?" he asks kindly. "Hello Mr. Hawthorne, they're better than ever." I lie. Just last night my father had one of his "Visions" or "Breakdowns" again and my mother woke up screaming bloody murder from nightmares. Nothing out of the ordinary though.

Mike leads me out onto the back porch and dumps the contents of the game bag out on a small dirty wooden table. "How about I get the two squirrels and you can have the beaver and the bird?" he says. That is so like Mike. To let me have the bigger amount of meat because he always thinks of others before himself. I couldn't let him do that though because his family struggled financially while my family was so stinking rich we could buy twenty times this meat and it would barely feel like we'd spent anything. "No, why don't you just take all of it? We already have lots of meat anyway." I tell him. He raises his eyebrows, "Really? Are you sure?" he asks. "Positive." I say smiling. He smiles back and I gaze into his grey eyes. He really is quite handsome, the girls at school are always staring at him and flirting with him. I don't know why but there is a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach that I don't like. Could it be jealousy? No, Mike and I are just friends…

When I walk in the front door to my own house, I smell bread baking. After I put all my hunting gear away, I hear a hiss behind me. I turn around and look down at my feet, only to see myself looking straight into the evil eyes of the world's ugliest cat. Buttercup. Yes, the dingy, ancient cat that belonged to my Aunt Prim is still around. It (Yes, I refer to him as an it) used to hate my mom when she was a teenager. It's warmed up to her but now it hates me. "Hey Ugly." I said stepping over the hideous orange thing.

I walked into the kitchen and saw Justin at the table drawing a picture, and my mother bent over the sink doing dishes, her face in her natural scowl. My dad must have already left for the bakery. "Where have you been?" my mother asks without looking up from the plate she was scrubbing. "Hunting." I say. "Oh." She says still focused on the plate. Well, there's a conversation with my mother for you.

That night, while I was setting out my school uniform and supplies, I heard a faint noise at my door. I turned around to see my mother standing in my doorway. "If you have any questions about history class, you can ask." She says. She gives me a small smile. "Goodnight honey." She says and then leaves to go into her room. That was odd. How did she know what unit in my history class we were starting? Oh well, that was probably the most words she's spoken to me in a whole week.

Author's Note: How do you like it so far? PLEASE REVIEW!


	3. I'll Never Be Normal

0Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

The next morning, I awoke to the sound of my father's voice. "Azalea, time for school." I just groaned and pulled the covers farther over my head. "Come on Lea, up and adam, you're gonna be late." My father says. "No." I murmur still half asleep. "Azalea Primrose Mellark, get out of bed right now! I want you in the kitchen for breakfast in twenty minutes tops." he says sternly and then walks away. He pops his head back in and says "I mean it."

I slowly drag my body out of my warm bed and I shiver as my bare feet touch the cold wooden floors of my bedroom. I trudge down the hall into the bathroom and turn on the faucet in the shower. I look at myself in the mirror. I'm wearing a light blue spaghetti strap top and short black shorts. My hair was in tangles and there were bags under my eyes. I'd barely slept a wink last night. I've been dreading the day we'd start learning about the Hunger Games in school, ever since my parents told me about them and how they were involved. The shower helped perk me up a little bit but not much.

I shuffled back to my room wrapped in a towel with my hair sopping wet and in tangles. I put on my school uniform which consisted of a light blue long sleeved shirt, a black sweater vest with our school's logo on the right side of my chest, a black skirt that ended a few inches above my knees, knee length light blue socks, and black flats. I brushed out my wet dark hair and styled it in a fancy braid. To top everything off I squirted on one spritz of a special kind of perfume called "Primroses and Azaleas". My mom wore it all the time too.

As I entered the kitchen the sweet smell of cinnamon bread and coffee filled my nostrils. My father was taking the cinnamon bread out of the oven and my mother was making orange juice. Buttercup was curled up under the kitchen table with a look of hatred in his ugly murky green eyes. Man, I cannot wait until that thing dies.

"Morning mom, morning dad." I tell them. Justin usually doesn't come downstairs until breakfast is on the table. "Morning Lea." They say in unison. Then silence. My parents turn towards me at the same time. "Have a seat Azalea." My father says. "There's something we'd like to discuss with you." My mother adds. _Oh no. Here comes the talk._

I do as they tell me and sit down. They're staring at me intensely which is making me feel uncomfortable. "So, we understand you will be learning about the Hunger Games and the Rebellion in History class this month." My mother says. "How did you know _that!" _I exclaim. "We have our resources." My father tells me. _Their resources? _Oh great, so what other stuff do they know about my personal life? "We just wanted to let you know that if you have any questions or concerns about the topic, you are more than welcome to talk to us about it." My mom says. Whoa. She's having a conversation with me_ and _I'm more than welcome to talk to her about stuff? Who is this woman and what has she done with my mother? But all I say is "Okay."

Right after I put my breakfast dishes in the sink I hear the doorbell ring. That must be our walking partners. "Justin, let's go!" I call do my brother as I open the door. Mike, Rayman, Nicky, and Shay are on our doorstep. "Yo, Mellarks" says Rayman. "Yo, Hawthornes" I say in his tone. Justin comes out and I close the door behind him.

As we're walking Mike asks me "So, you ready for today?" "Of course not, but will I ever be?" I answer. He chuckles.

When we get to the school we leave Justin and Shay at the Year 3 unit, Nicky at the Year 6 unit, and Rayman leaves Mike and I at the Year 8 unit while he heads off towards the Year 12 unit.

We have 6 periods throughout the day. For me it goes Arithmetic from 8:00 to 9:30, English from 9:30 to 11:00, Lunch Break from 11:00 to 11:30, Science from 11:30 to 1:00, Study Hall from 1:00 to 2:30, and History from 2:30 to 4:00. I always sit with Mike at lunch and he's in my Study Hall and History class.

It was the longest day of my life. Students who had already had their history classes were staring at me the whole day. Some also pointed and whispered. I even heard a girl whisper to her friend; "She looks just like Katniss, but she definitely has Peeta's eyes." Finally, after 6 hours of not being able to pay attention in any of my other classes, it came time for me to go to History class. I took a seat in the second row next to a window.

"Can anybody tell me, anything they know about the Hunger Games?" the teacher asks the class. I think just about every hand shot up in the air but mine. I just sat there and toyed around with my pencil. There were a whole bunch of answers and the teacher asked a few more questions but there was one nobody had an answer to. Except me that is. "Does anybody know the exact words President Snow said every year before the start of the Hunger Games?" she asked. Nobody raised their hand. Without looking up from my pencil I began to speak. "And so it was decreed that each year, the twelve districts of Panem, shall offer up our tributes, one young man and woman, between the ages of twelve and eighteen, to be trained in the art of survival, and to be prepared, to fight to the death." I remember that from somewhere…I just don't remember where. Every single person in the room had their eyes locked on me. Even the teacher. "Yes, very good Azalea!" she exclaims.

The class went on with the teacher asking more questions and explaining to us the rules of the reaping and the games. When she came to the rule about being able to volunteer, everyone's eyes were locked on me once again.

"Well, this year, our class has a very special opportunity! Starting tomorrow we will be watching the seventy fourth Hunger Games!" she exclaimed with joy. _No. No, no, no, no, no! _"What!" I practically yelled out without even really thinking first. The teacher raised her brow at me then went on talking. I raised my hand. She sighed. "Yes, Azalea?" "D-does it have to be the _seventy fourth _Hunger Games?" I asked. "Yes, it was the first year where two people were crowned victors, which started uprisings, which lead to the Rebellion." She explained to me. She was trying to cover it up, but you could tell she felt sorry for me.

This was horrible. I was already hurt by the fact that my parents were hurting, the last thing I wanted was to see the very thing that had ruined their lives and how it went down!

Right when we got out of the classroom I walked over to Mike. "Don't worry Azalea, it's not like we're going to have to watch the Games!" I mimicked angrily in his tone. I stormed off to my locker, grabbed my stuff, and ran all the way home without even bothering to wait for Justin or the rest of the crew.

Author's Note: **PLEASE REVIEW!**


	4. Haymitch and Me

Disclaimer: No, I don't own the Hunger Games, because if I did, I would have made this story the fourth book.

Author's Note: Hey guys! I am so incredibly sorry about not updating in a while! My stupid Microsoft Word Starter has been having some issues so I had to jump to the last resort and use the Word Pad, which doesn't have a spell check or anything so I am so sorry if there are some misspelled words or grammatical errors, I am trying my best. I would also like to dedicate this to ariathebrave, my biggest fan! You are awesome girl, and you've reviewed all of my stories! I know I can't thank you enough, but I will try!:D And now...Chapter 4! Enjoy!

The house was empty when I got home from school, except for the hideous orange blob everyone calls a cat staring daggers at me from in front of the fireplace. It wasn't until I had stomped up to my bedroom, when I realized it was my day to check on Haymitch.

Haymitch is the drunkard neighbor who lives a few houses away. He was my parents' mentor when they were in the Hunger Games, but he's practically family now. Whenever he babysat, my mother would not let him drink around us, and Justin and I had to make sure he didn't . So it was pretty much like we were the ones babysitting. Mike's grandmother Hazelle, had to stop being his housekeeper a few years back because she was getting older and couldn't do it anymore, so guess who gets stuck with the job?

I groan and quickly change out of my uniform and put on a crummy black shirt and old brown pants. I take my hair out of the fancy braid and tie it into a bun/knot on top of my head. I also pull on some old crummy boots. Who knows how messy his house will be today.

When I knock on the front door to Haymitch's house there is no answer so I just slowly open the door myself. As I do, the stench of liquor and vomit fills my nostrils. Haymitch is sitting at the table passed out with the knife he always sleeps with in his hand. Nothing out of the ordinary. At first I tried waking him up by shaking him and saying his name about fifty times. No luck with that so I decide to use my mother's classic method. I fill a bucket with ice cold water and pour it over Haymitch's head. He jerks awake and has the knife in his hand and is slashing away with it looking for who did it. It's actually quite comical really. Then he sees me. "Dammit sweetheart, I swear you are transforming into your mother more everyday." he says gruffly slowly lifting himself out of his chair.

"How was school today?" he asks walking slowly to the bathroom to get a towel to dry himself off. He's about sixty now. "I'd rather not talk about it." I say grabbing the broom and sweeping up the broken glass from liquor bottles and other micellaneous who knows what. "Who'd you beat up this time? I promise I won't tell your parents." he says. "I didn't beat up anyone Haymitch." I groan. The only time I'd beaten up anyone was when I was twelve. This girl named Taylee Markenno was cracking jokes about how my mother "Ate raw squirells and hid in attics". I corrected her by saying that she "hunted wild game then cooked it and hid in closets" but then I realized that still wasn't helping my cause. So anyway, Taylee kept cracking really mean jokes about my parents and making fun of me so I kind of lost it...she went home with a black eye and a broken nose and I went home with a month of grounding.

"Well then what happened at school?" Haymitch asks me coming back out of the bathroom. "We had to learn about...something." I say turning my attention to the many dirty dishes in the sink. "I thought you already had the talk with your mom. You already know how reproduction works so I don't see how it can be that awkward." He says. "Not that!" I exclaim annoyed. That lesson in school and the talk with my mother _was _horrible but not as horrible as what we're learning about in history class and the other talk with my parents.

"Well then what?" Haymitch asks. "Ummm..." I start. Haymitch was in the Hunger Games too and I didn't want to upset him. The Hunger Games was the reason he drank so much all the time. "Something." I say. He chuckles then says, "It's about time you started learning about the Hunger Games in school." Am I really that transparent? "It's awful Haymitch! We have to _watch _the seventy fourth Hunger Games! I don't want to see my parents killing people!" I tell him exhasperated. He sighs. "Azalea, you're going to see some horrible things on that tape. I'm not going to lie to you, it's going to be hard." he says. "I know." I tell him. "If you have any questions or concerns, please ask." he tells me. "Okay." I say.

After I am done cleaning and cooking dinner for Haymitch, I slowly walk home. What exactly is on that tape? Somewhere deep down, I feel the need to watch the seventy fourth Hunger Games. I feel a longing to see how my parents looked when they were young, before they were so emotionally beat up they seemed like different people. Maybe it will also answer my questions about some of the things they're not telling me.

Author's Note: Sorry it's kind of a short chapter. I wanted to make sure you knew that I wasn't leaving Haymitch out of the story. Please review! It makes me feel so special and happy when I get one. I don't care if it's only one word. I just love getting feedback from my readers!:D


	5. Secrets Unfold Before My Eyes

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

That night, after dinner I decided to start working on the many pages of homework I had to do. Considering I didn't pay much attention in any of my classes that day, it was a little more difficult than usual. Lastly, I picked up the History worksheet my history teacher gave us to do. It was basically to see what we already knew. The questions really freaked me out.

_What was the name of the female tribute from District 12 at the time of the 74th Hunger Games?_

_Who was the male tribute?_

_Who was their mentor?_

_Who won the 74th Hunger Games?_

_What was the name of the female tributes best friend?_

I bet that last one freaked Mike out. Speaking of Mike, I needed to call him and apologize for snapping at him. When I finished my homework, I picked up my cell phone and dialed Mike's number. There were about 3 rings and then he picked up.

"Hello?" I heard him say on the other end.

"Hey Mike," I said.

"Oh, hey Azalea." he said.

"I'm really sorry about snapping at you and then storming off like that. I was just mad because we have to watch the games, I wasn't mad at you." I told him apologetically.

"It's alright, I think I kind of just got a taste of the creepiness you were telling me about." he tells me.

"You saw the last question on our history homework?" I ask him.

"Yup." he says. I just giggle.

"Well I should probably let you go, I haven't done any of my chores at home yet and my mom will kill me if she finds out I didn't do them." I tell him.

"Alright, see you tomorrow?" he asks.

"Yep." I say, and then hang up. I quickly dash around my bedroom and straighten up, then I head to the bathroom and scrub it until it's pristine. My parents hate it when the house is a mess.

The next morning wasn't a hassle for my father in getting out of bed because I'd been awake ever since I awoke from a nightmare at about 4:00 am. It was about me going into the Hunger Games. By far the worst nightmare I'd ever had and if it ever came true, I don't know what I'd do.

The day turned out the same way the day before had. Maybe even a little worse since we were starting the Hunger Games film today. I was nervous all day but it wasn't until I stepped into my history class and saw the big white screen in the front of the room that the real dread started to creep into me.

Mike offered to sit by me towards the back of the room and I was more than happy to take him up on his offer. The film started out with the reapings in all the districts. In District 1, the tributes were a girl named Glimmer and a boy named Marvel. Oh the stupid things they name their kids in District 1. In 2, there were two really tough looking kids named Cato and Clove. Another girl who really stood out to me was a girl who had a face that looked like a fox's. I couldn't remember her name so I decided to refer to her as Foxface. After a girl named Rue and a massive looking boy named Thresh were reaped from District 11, I realized what was next, and I was immediately filled with absolute dread. District 12.

The District 12 reapings started out pretty much like any other district, with a whole bunch of terrified looking kids, and praying families filled a big open area. A man who I believe was the mayor, starts out with a boring speech and then announces the one remaining victor. Haymitch Abernathy. Haymitch appears to be hollering something unintelligible and then staggers onto the stage. He plops down in a chair. He was drunk as a skunk. The crowd responds with a polite round of applause, but he was confused and tried to give Effie Trinket a big hug. I barely managed to muffle a giggle at that. Not much different from what happens in present day. The mayor looks distressed. District 12 was probably the laughingstock of Panem every year. As he tries to pull the attention back to the stage, he introduces Effie Trinket. The woman who visited from the Capitol on occasion and was always giving me ettiquette lessons. It was always "Put your napkin in your lap Azalea!" or "Chew with your mouth closed Azalea!" She even commented about the kind of clothes I wear to bed. She brought me some silk pink pajamas from the Capitol last time she visited, but they've never been worn.

Looking as bright and as bubbly as ever Effie trots to the stage. "Happy Hunger Games!" she says cheerfully into the microphone. "And may the odds be _ever_ in your favor!" she says. Oh, so that's where that quote came from. "Ladies first!" Effie says cheerfully. She walks over to the big glass ball that had all the girls' names in it. She digs her hand in very deep and pulls out one slip of paper. Even though I already know what is written on the tiny slip of paper, I still find myself praying.

"Primrose Everdeen!" Effie calls out. I then see my twelve year old aunt walking forward and preparing to mount the stage when I hear a strangled voice cry out "Prim!" Then I see her. A sixteen year old girl is rushing forward. She was beautiful. She was my mother. "Prim!" she repeats as the crowd makes way for her to cut down the middle. A bunch of peacekeepers dressed in white are trying to hold her back and then she screams "I volunteer!" The peacekeepers stop struggling with her. "I volunteer as tribute!" she says pushing Prim behind her. "Lovely!" says Effie Trinket. "But I believe there's a small matter of introducing the reaping winner and then asking for volunteers, and then if one does not come forth then we, um..." she says not entirely sure of herself. "Oh, what does it matter?" the mayor asks with a slight hurt tone. Maybe he knew my mother or something. "What does it matter?" he repeats. "Let her come forward."

Prim is screaming hysterically behind my mother and she's wrapped her arms around her tight. "No Katniss! No, you can't go!" she cries. "Prim let go!" my mother says harshly. Huh. It kind of reminded me of my first day of school when I was five. I had my arms wrapped around her the exact same way as Prim did, begging her not to go. Except she wasn't on her way to a fight to the death then.

"Let go!" my mother repeats. Just then, out of the crowd I see Gale Hawthorne, Mike's father come and pull Prim off my mother's back. "Up you go Catnip." he says in a voice he's trying to keep steady. Catnip? I'll ask later. Gale then carries Prim off towards my grandmother. Mike and I's eyes meet for a mere second and then turn back to the screen.

"Well bravo!" gushes Effie. "That's the spirit of the Games! What's your name?" she asks. "Katniss Everdeen." my mother tells her. "I bet my buttons that was your sister. Don't want her to steal all the glory do we? Come on everybody! Let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!" Not one person claps. It was as if they were saying "We do not agree. All of this is wrong." Then the unexpected happens. First one person, then another, then everybody touches the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips, and then holds them up to my mother. It was an old and rarely used gesture in District 12 meaning thanks, admiration, and goodbye to someone you love. I think everybody in the class would've been in danger of crying but Haymitch chooses that time to come staggering onto the stage.

"Look at her! Look at this one!" he hollers throwing his arm across my mother's shoulders. "I like her! Lots of..." he searches for the right word. "Spunk!" he says triumphantly. "More than you!" he releases my mother and starts for the front of the stage. "More than you!" he says pointing directly towards the cameras. Was he referring to the audience or could he have actually been _taunting _the capitol? Well, I guess we'll never know because just as he's getting ready to speak again he plummets off the stage and knocks himself unconcious.

As Haymitch is being whisked away on a stretcher, Effie is trying to get the ball rolling again. "What an exciting day!" she exclaims as she tries to straighten her wig which was listed severely to the right from her encounter with Haymitch. "But more excitement to come! It's time to choose our boy tribute!" Effie crosses to the big glass ball which held the boys' names and pulled out a single piece of paper. Even though I know it's useless, I still again find myself praying. "Peeta Mellark!" Effie calls out. As he makes his way to the stage I see how much younger he looked. Effie asks for volunteers, but of course no one does.

The mayor reads the dull and boring treaty of treason and then my mother and father are told to shake hands. It would have been a perfect snapshot. Them before they were so scarred and emotionally destroyed.

**Author's Note: I know this is a pretty common theme so I was wondering if you guys think it's too original. Please be honest! I want to make it the best I can! Also, I'm sorry it's taking so long for the plot to develop so it matches the summary...I just really wanted you guys to get to know Azalea and the type of life she lives first. PLEASE REVIEW! It means the world to me:)**


	6. What Really Lies Within Nightlock

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

**Author's Note: First off, no I am not dead and I am so sorry for not updating in a while! School has pretty much taken over my life and when I have some spare time, I am too tired to write. Plus, a classmate of mine just recently passed away so I had funeral stuff and things like that. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

All of it was awful but now the worst part is about to take place right before my very eyes. The training and the Interviews have passed and today, we are going to be watching the start of the actual games. The interviews were awkward of course as I saw my father declare his love for my mom but now I'm going to have to see them in the arena fighting for their lives.

"You ready for this?" asks Mike stepping into Hitory class with me. "No, but what choice do I have?" I tell him setting my stuff down at a desk in front of the big white screen. He sets his stuff on a desk beside mine. "Come on, how bad can it really be?" he asked me.

That was answered for sure. The whole thing was by far the most gruesome and horrible thing I have ever seen in my entire life. It was even worse than how my parents had described it...but then again, how do you really describe something that awful? The whole inhumaneness of it goes far beyond what words can describe. My mother killed the boy from District 1...after he killed her ally. Her name was Rue I think. My mother sang her to sleep and then covered her in flowers...she used to sing the exact same song to me when I was a little girl.

Then the day came where only three tributes were left. My mother, my father, and the boy from 2. Let's just say there were some mutts and then Cato, the District 2 boy was history. But then there was another "Rule Change". Apparently the new rule where two people could win if they were from the same district had been revoked, it was clear that they never intended for two people to win. They just wanted a good show in watching two friends kill eachother...but my parents weren't just friends.

They argued a bit about who would kill who and then finally, the whole thing was unraveled right there in front of me on that big screen.

_Nightlock Berries._

Nightlock berries are these poisonous berries that kill you in an instant if you eat them. My parents were trying to commit suicide with them so they wouldn't have to kill eachother. They put the choice out there for the Capitol. Two victors, or none at all.

After we were finished watching the 74th Hunger Games, we of course were forced to watch the highlights of the third Quarter Quell. Since it was not a full Hunger Games (thanks to my mother for blowing up a forcefield) we only watched the important bits and pieces...including the Interviews. Thanks to my dad's little "announcement" I had to keep on explaining to everybody in the school that no, the baby was not me.

I saw Johanna Mason, who apparently did not get along to well with my mom at first. They are actually really good friends now so that wasn't expected. Although I've always kind of wondered why she always calls my mom "Brainless".

I also got to see Finnick Odair. I never got to meet him because he was killed in the war, but I do know his wife Annie and his son Aaron.

After about a month, our Hunger Games and Rebellion unit in history class finally passed. We were back to learning about a bunch of old facts about this one place called "North America" which was where Panem is now.

I wake up one morning and see that it's nine thirty am! Why wouldn't my father wake me up for school? I pop straight out of bed and find a very confused looking Justin in the kitchen looking like he had just woken up too. "Justin where's mom and dad?" I ask him panicked. "I don't know, but they left you a note." he says handing a sheet of paper to me. I read it.

_School was canceled today. Went to the Justice Building. Won't be back until tonight, late. There's leftovers in the fridge you can heat up. We love you._

Whichever one of my parents wrote this note was obviously in a hurry because the handwriting was barely ledgible. They didn't even sign it. Why in Panem would they be going to the Justice Building? And why would school be canceled?

"Justin, stay here. I'm going to go hunting okay?" I tell my little brother leaving to get my hunting clothes on. "I don't want to stay here alone by myself!" he says helplessly.

When I come back downstairs Justin's waiting by the front door. "I don't want to stay here alone!" he repeats. "You won't be alone, you have Buttercup!" I say walking towards the coat closet to get my bow. "I won't be long okay?" I tell him. He nods. Just then I trip over a mess of muddy orange fur. "Stupid cat." I mutter recovering from my fall. I swear Buttercup does that on purpose. As I close the front door I hear Justin laughing.

As I suspected, Mike was waiting by the lake. "Hey." I tell him brightly. No answer. "Mike?" I say. He just looks at me with a grim expression. "Mike, what's the matter?" I ask him. "Don't pretend like everything's okay." he says looking far off into the distance. "What?" I ask him questionly. "Pretending like nothing's wrong isn't going to keep it from happening." he says with sadness in his tone. "Mike, I have absolutely no idea what your talking about!" I tell him fed up. He looks towards me questioningly. "You didn't hear?" he asks with disbelief. "No...hear what?" I ask him confused. He takes a deep breath and then speaks the words I never in a million years thought I would hear.

"Azalea...they're bringing back the Hunger Games."

**Author's Note: CLIFFHANGER! Haha, sorry I know this chapter was not some of my best work...I just had to cut to the chase and get to the plot. Telling about the entire games from her point of view would have taken forever! Sorry it's kind of short but I promise the next one will be longer. I'll be in California this week from Wednesday to Monday so I probably won't be updating then. You can flame me about my terrible updating if you want. Review please!**


	7. Why?

I can't even comprehend the words that just escaped Mike's mouth. I stand there motionless unable to speak. Unable to think. Mike repeating my name brings me back to earth.

"Wh-what?" I stammer.

"Your parents didn't tell you?" he asks me in disbelief. "No! When did you find out?" I exclaim horrified that my parents would dare keep something like this from me.

"It was announced on the news last night! It was said to be mandatory that all the citizens of Panem watch it! Apparently our new elected president has had some kind of an empire building underground for years. People have been arrested, killed even." Mike explains to me.

I'm still trying to get this through my head. And then the emotions hit. Betrayal. Anger. Hatred. Utter disbelief. And most of all, I'm terrified. For what reason, I don't know. A lot of reasons I guess. Many things start rushing through my head but one that overrules them all is one mere thought that I'm sure every teen in the 75 years of Hunger Games and teens right now are thinking. _What if I get picked? _But afterall...I'm only fourteen...my name would only be in that reaping ball three times. But what if this is what this new Capitol plans to do? Get revenge on my family? But I quickly dismiss the thought.

"How could this happen?" I whimper slowly dropping to my feet. "I don't know." Mike mutters. I try to control it, but it's impossible. The tears come anyway. I expect Mike to tell me it's no reason to cry about or anything but instead he holds me in his arms while I cry.

When I get home, I'm done crying but not done yelling. I expect to see just my parents in the kitchen so I can scream at them for not telling me but instead I am shocked to see four other individuals. Annie Odair, Johanna Mason, Haymitch, and Effie. They all stop murmering to eachother while I come in and let my hunting gear drop on the floor. I give them all the dirtiest glare I can muster.

"I think she knows." says Johanna.

"Yes I do." I say maybe a little too harshly.

"Azalea..." my mother starts but I don't let her finish.

"Why would you keep something like this from me?" I ask them about ready to cry again but there's more fury in my voice. I don't let them answer me before I'm storming off into my room. The waterworks come again.

Just then I hear my bedroom door squeak open. I can tell by her footsteps that it's my mom. Without saying a word she walks over and sits down on the edge of my bed.

"I didn't know how to tell you." she says after about a minute of silence. I slowly sit up and glance at her. There is a longing and sadness in her gray eyes. "What do you mean?" I ask her softly, all the edge in my voice gone.

"How do you tell your own daughter about something as terrible as this? How do you tell her all the things that happened to you? I just...didn't want you to be scared like I was." she says without making eye contact.

"But...it's still going to happen. It wouldn't matter how long you put off telling me." I say. She nods and says "I know."

We just sit there in silence for a while. My mom and I. I look over at her and she's looking out the window with something in her eyes. Is it longing? Regret? I don't know but I do know that she's feeling like she's failed. She sacrificed everything so that we could have a safe future. And now that's gone. Wasted. A far away dream. The only reason she'd even agreed to children was because the world was safe. There were no more Hunger Games. And now that has been taken away from her.

Suddenly I feel a rush of fury inside of me. This wasn't fair! That stupid Capitol took everything away from her! She never even got to finish out her teenage years before she was forced to grow up! Scratch that. She barely even got the chance to be a regular kid before she was forced to start supporting her family! The Capitol blew up her father and my grandfather who I never got the chance to meet before their stupid coal mines killed him! The Capitol killed her innocent sister who wasn't even fourteen! The Capitol was the reason for all the scars on my mother's body! Not to mention all the scars in her heart and brain! They are the reason for the nightmares that never let her escape her past! The reason she hides in closets terrified of the world! It's their fault I've never gotten to know my mom!

It's all their fault my father has mental breakdowns where he can't tell if something's real or not real! It's all their fault Haymitch is a drunkard! It's all their fault that Rue's dead! And Cato! And Clove! And Glimmer! And Marvel! And Thresh! And Foxface! And Finnick! Even if some of those people were nasty bloodthirsty tributes, but they were still just children! And it's the Capitol's fault they were that way in the first place!

I want to throw something. Anything. Just to get all this anger out! But I know for my mother, I have to be strong. So instead I braid her hair while she stares into nothingness. It's an elaborate braid, much nicer than I could do on my self. As if awoken by some magical force, my mother reaches up and touches the braid and smiles.

As she gets up to leave the room, I ask her one question that I need to know, but hope that it won't bring up to much depression in her. "Mom, when's the reaping?" I ask quietly. She pauses and sighs. "Three months." she says sadly and leaves the room.

Turns out, Johanna, Annie, and Effie are long term guests in our home until a week before the reapings. So I have to make room on my bedroom floor for Johanna, Annie, and Effie. Great. Weeks of complaining from Johanna, mental breakdowns from Annie, and manners lectures from Effie. If I don't go bald from pulling my hair out y the time the reapings come, I'll be amazed.


	8. Trying To Live Normally

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

**Author's Note: I am so sorry for my lack of updates! I've got tons of stuff going on and I haven't had a lot of time to update! Please review so I know you're still there!**

As I step out of the frigid air and into the warm, cozy surroundings of my own home, I hear people visiting and laughing as if nothing in the world was wrong. I wish I could do that, but the thought of the Hunger Games returning always makes my blood run cold even in the happiest of surroundings.

It's been a week since the awful announcement was made and winter hit faster than I'd expected it to. I usually hated winter considering it was always tough to hunt and frankly, I just don't like to be cold but I don't mind it as much this year. Spring means the reaping.

I remove my cap and shake the snow and bits of ice off of my dark hair. Even with my gloves on, my hands are still numb and red. Probably because I refuse to shoot my bow with gloves on so I continuously remove them.

When I'm done stripping off the ridicuously thick winter clothes my parents make me wear, I walk into the living room and join everybody who are all laughing and smiling. I look in the middle of the room to find Buttercup with his head stuck under the couch. Ha. What an idiot.

"Hunting again?" my mother asks me when they all notice me walk in the room.

"Yeah." I answer plopping down on the couch in the middle of my parents.

"With Mike?" asks my dad.

"No, he had stuff to do." I say.

"Who's Mike?" asks Annie.

"Ooooooh! Brainless Junior has a boyfriend!" taunts Johanna.

"He is not my boyfriend! He's my best friend!" I tell her annoyed.

"It's Mike Hawthorne." Haymitch tells them.

"Oh," says Johanna still not believing me.

"But I still think he's her boyfriend." taunts Haymitch.

I fling a pillow at him but he catches it with ease, probably expecting me to throw something at him.

I got fed up after five minutes of them taunting me and went up to my room. Or maybe it would be more correct to say, Johanna and Annie's room. I've begun sleeping in the bathtub because Johanna and Annie both talk in their sleep. Much like my mother screams. Effie's made room for herself in the large linen closet inside the same bathroom where I sleep. She doesn't like anyone to see her wigless and makeupless.

In Science the next day, the teacher says we are going to be doing a project with a partner. Great. Whenever I get assigned a partner, they're usually some lazy student who doesn't help out or anything.

"Azalea, you'll be partners with Natalia." says my teacher as he passes out the project rubrics to us.

Natalia is the butcher's daughter. I wouldn't exactly call her my friend but we did end up as partners or sitting together for things when we got to choose. She was one of the very few girls at this school who I actually didn't mind. She was pretty quiet and kept to herself, a lot like me. My father often traded with her father so I'll often run into Natalia when I drop things off at the butchers. The butcher also pays good money for wild game so I guess I'm there a lot.

"Hi Azalea." Natalia greets me politely when she walks over to me. We were supposed to start making plans with our partners because apparently this was a project that we had to do outside of school.

"Hi Natalia." I say.

"So, uh when do you want to meet to start this? Does after school today work?" she asks me in the same polite manner.

"Yeah, that works. Where do you want to work?" I ask her.

"I would offer for you to come to my house but we're redoing our whole downstairs so there wouldn't really be any room to work." she tells me sounding apologetic.

"Oh, that's okay. You can come to my house." I offer without thinking.

"Okay." she says smiling. Then the bell rings indicating it's time to go to the next class. She quickly gathers up her things and calls "Meet me at my locker after school." and then she's gone without me even having a chance to take back what I'd said.

What have I gotten myself into? I haven't had anyone over to my house in forever! Mike doesn't even really come that often! And I have a good reason why...

What if my dad has a mental breakdown?

Not to mention I have a house full of visiting wack jobs. What was I thinking? The butcher's daughter and the baker's daughter. Could have been such a great friendship.

**Author's Note: PLEASE REVIEW! It means the world to me! You're not going to have to wait long for the next update I promise! I already have it written!**


	9. Potential Friend

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

**Author's Note: First off, thank you so much for all the reviews! And yes, I know there are some spelling and grammer mistakes and I'm really sorry! My Microsoft word starter won't respond for some reason so I'm stuck using the word pad which doesn't have a spell check...does anyone know of a good Beta? Also to the reviewer who made the comment about there not being any humor in the Hunger Games so there shouldn't be any humor in this, that's somewhat true for the Games part but in her everyday life there can be some can't there? I mean her life isn't always depressing! And if you look back into the books, Katniss had some humorous and sarcastic thoughts! Here's a few:**

**"Haymitch in my head full time? Horrifying."**

**"Exactly how am I supposed to work up a thank you in there? Somehow it just won't seem sincere if I'm trying to slit his throat."**

**Those are just a few I thought of. I was just trying to brighten up this story a little considering it's about to get **_**very **_**intense. Anyway, sorry for ranting! I'll let you read now!**

"Mom, we're home!" I call to my mother as I hold the door open for Justin and Natalia.

I see my mom walk through the kitchen door wiping her hands on a dish towel.

"Who's this?" she asks surprised to see Natalia. Like I said, I barely have any friends and I never have anyone over.

"I'm Natalia." she says reaching out to shake my mom's hand. Her face looks like she's just met a worldwide celebrity...which I guess she has.

"Nice to meet you Natalia, I'm Azalea's mom." she says accepting the hand shake from Natalia.

"Natalia and I are working on a school project together so we'll be upstairs." I say grabbing Natalia's arm and pulling her towards the stairs.

"If you need anything I'm down here!" my mom calls to us as we walk upstairs.

"She still looks exactly like she did when she was sixteen!" Natalia exclaims once we're in my bedroom.

"Not really." I say moving Johanna and Annie's things out of the way.

"Well, I mean of course she looks a bit older but other than that she still looks the same! What about your dad? I've only seen him from a distance." she says sitting down on the floor and pulling her books out of her bag.

"I guess so. My dad's probably still working." I tell her.

"Oh no, I'm bugging you aren't I? I'm sorry, it's just really cool meeting your mom! You look just like her! Well with your dad's eyes anyway." she chatters.

Why does everyone notice my eyes?

"It's okay, I get that a lot." I say laughing a bit. And I do. From everyone I meet.

"What are all these sleeping bags and pillows on the floor?" she asks.

"Oh, they're Johanna and Annie's." I tell her.

"Johanna and Annie? As in Johanna Mason and Annie Cresta?" she says excitedly.

"Yeah. Well I guess her names Annie Odair now." I tell her looking down into one of our textbooks.

"Oh yes, that's right! She was married to Finnick Odair before he uh-" she stops herself.

"Before he died. It's okay, you can say it." I tell her. "How do you know so much about Hunger Games victors anyway?"

"I do a lot of reading! I'm in the High Ability Learner program so I'm expected to do a lot of extra reading and things like that. The Hunger Games victors really interest me!" she says bubbly.

I knew Natalia was probably the smartest girl in my grade but I didn't know she did that much extra reading.

"Oh, that's nice." I say still looking in the book.

What else am I supposed to say? Natalia's so bubbly, smart, talkative and friendly while I'm none of the above.

"So, I know your name's Azalea and you hunt a lot but that's pretty much all I know! I want to know more about you! You know, since we are partners and everything." she says smiling.

The thing that really got me, was that there really wasn't anything else. I'm such a dull and boring person! That's why I hate that I'm the daughter of two extraordinary people.

"Umm, well that's about it." I tell her.

"Oh come on! There has to be some other interesting things about you! What's your favorite color?" she asks me.

"Green." I say.

"You see! Mine's yellow!" she says in her bubbly tone that I'm so envious of. How can she sound so happy all the time when there's the danger that her name could be drawn to go fight to the death in a matter of months?

We spent most of the night talking to eachother and getting to know eachother than we really did working on the assignment.

As we finally started working on the project, I hear a knock on the door and my mother pokes her head in.

"You girls alright?" she asks. I then notice my father standing behind her beaming. He's probably surprised and delighted that I have a girl over. A girl my age.

"Azalea, do you want to introduce me to your friend?" my dad asks. I almost expect him to say to my mom "Honey, get the camera! Azalea has a friend over!"

I then wonder if my mom just came up here to show him that me having a friend besides Mike could be possible.

"Oh! I'm Natalia! It's so nice to finally meet you Mr. Mellark!" she says shaking my father's hand.

"Nice to meet you too." he says smiling and returning the handshake.

"Would you like to stay for dinner Natalia? Our guests are going out for the night so there are plenty of extra chairs." my mother offers.

"That'd be great!" Natalia exclaims happily. "I should call my family though, just to let them know." she says.

"Roar!" Justin growls at the dinner table as he smashes his two pieces of chicken together making them "fight".

"Justin, don't play with your food." says my mother using her hand to push the pieces of chicken back onto his plate.

Of course, he doesn't obey her and accidentally knocks his glass of milk off the table. My mother looks distressed and massages her temples, a sure sign of a headache.

"It's alright Katniss, I'll clean it up." says my father getting up to grab a few towels.

"Do you have any siblings Natalia?" asks my father as he kneels down to clean up Justin's mess.

"No, it's just me. Oh, but I wish I did!" Natalia exclaims.

"No you don't." I tell her. Justin then grabs a piece of chicken and chucks it at my head.

"Justin, don't throw food at your sister." my mother scolds him still massaging her temples.

"Do you have any activities or sports you like to do Natalia?" asks my father still working on cleaning up the spilled milk.

"Well, I really love to read! But then again, that's not really considered interesting I guess. I really wish I knew how to shoot arrows like Azalea though! Everyone admires her so!" says Natalia.

"Well what if Azalea gave you some lessons? It'd be a good way for you two to do some more bonding." my dad suggests.

It's obvious he doesn't want his anti-social daughter to lose the one person besides Mike who is actually interested in hanging out with her.

"Oh, would you Azalea? It would be so great!" she exclaims happily.

"Um, I suppose." I say.

"Great! Tomorrow after school?" she suggests.

"Uh, sure." I say.

"Yay!" She says getting up from her chair to hug me.

"Well, thank you for dinner Mr. and Mrs. Mellark, but I really should be going now." she says.

"It was nice to meet you Natalia." my father says. "Hope to see you back here soon!"

"I hope so too! I can't wait until the lessons Azalea!" she calls to me as she walks out the door.

"Azalea's looking forward to it." says my father closing the door behind her.

Overall, nothing went wrong while Natalia was over at my house. I'm still not sure how I feel about her though. We're so different. Maybe I'll get to know her a little better when I give her the shooting lessons.

**Author's Note: How'd I do? Review please!:D**


	10. Why I'm The Way I Am

**Author's Note: Thank you all so much for all the amazing reviews and people who have me on favorites and alerts! You are all amazing and wonderful people! You are what gives me the motivation to keep writing! I plan on taking this story all the way through to the end and though it will take a lot of work and time, I know I'll do it because of you guys! Thank you so much!**

"Just keep practicing on drawing the string back. Your arm will get stronger the more you do that." I instruct Natalia placing the bow I made for her in her arms.

It's Eight in the morning on a Saturday and I'm out in the woods with Natalia teaching her how to shoot a bow and arrow.

The thought of being outside at eight in the morning during winter seems awful, but I've never hated the woods, no matter what time or season it was. I've also really been warming up to Natalia. She comes across as quiet and shy when you first meet her but she's really not afraid to open up to you once she gets to know you. It also pleases me that she seems to find me so likeable. She treats me like I'm the nicest girl on earth and she talks about me as if I'm extreemly fascinating.

She also seems to like me for me and not because of who I am. She doesn't ask me questions about my parents or the Hunger Games or the Rebellion...just about me. She treats me like I'm normal and that's what I've wanted my whole life.

"Why do you even come out here in the wintertime? There doesn't seem to be any animals to shoot this time of year." she says grunting as she sits down on a rock continuously pulling the string on the bow back.

"Most of them are in hibernation," I say as I hear a rustle in a bush a few meters away from us.

I whirl around and send an arrow whizzing through the air. It pierces a beaver straight through the eye. I turn back to Natalia and finish my sentence.

"But don't let that fool you."

She's gaping at me with her eyes wide and her mouth drops revealing her pearly white teeth. I can't help but laugh.

"How on earth do you do that?" she exclaims coming over to me as I retrieve my arrow from the beaver's eye.

"Years of practice I guess." I tell her as I stuff the beaver into my game bag.

"How many years?" she asks tucking a few strands of her long black hair into her snow cap.

"My mom used to bring me out here all the time when I was a toddler. I'd watch her shoot. When I was old enough she began teaching me how and I was out hunting on my own by the time I was ten. Well, alone before I met Mike anyway." I explain to her.

"Mike Hawthorne? Isn't he the boy you hang out with at school all the time?" she asks as I stuff the arrow back in with my other ones.

"Yeah. I met him out in the woods right after he moved here from District 2." I tell her remembering back to that day.

"Tell me about that." she requests sitting down on the frozen ground next to me.

"Well, I was out here looking for animals to shoot and I um...kind of fell into one of his traps." I say embarrassed.

Natalia laughs. "What kind of trap was it?"

"A beaver trap. I got my foot stuck in it and sprained my ankle. He came back and saw me lying there after I'd been yelling for help. He helped me home...and that's when I found out his dad and my mom used to be best friends. They mended their relationship with eachother and now both our families are closer than ever. He was really my only friend before you." I say.

"Mended? What broke it?" she asks curiously.

"I don't know really...my parents don't tell me much about their pasts. I think it had something to do with the death of my aunt though." I tell her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It must be tough." she says.

"What?" I ask her not really knowing what she meant by tough.

"Well, everything I suppose. I really felt for you in History class. And don't take this the wrong way but, it seems like you're missing a few family members?" she says.

"A little more than a few." I tell her sadly. "My Aunt Prim, My grandfather on my mother's side, both my grandparents on my father's side, my dad's brothers, I hardly ever get to see my mom's mother and sometimes it seems like I'm missing my parents too. They can be so close but then sometimes they'll be so distant."

"I'm sorry. I can't pretend to know how you feel but I truly am sorry." she says with sympathy.

"Don't be, it's okay. Really." I tell her as I accept a hug from her.

"We should probably take this beaver to the Hawthornes. It'll be a pleasent surprise for them." I say standing up.

"Do you give everything you shoot to them?" she asks me as she stands up also.

"Most of it. Getting food is probably the last thing my family has to worry about." I say.

"Well that's awfully nice of you to do that for your friend. You're such a sweet girl Azalea." she tells me.

"You make me sound like such a good person Natalia." I say laughing.

"Well I think you are." she tells me. And she means it too.

"Thanks. Hey, when we're done giving the beaver to the Hawthornes do you want to come over for a little bit? My mother usually can't cook to save somebody's life but one thing she can make is really good hot chocolate." I offer to her smiling.

She giggles and smiles. "Sure."

When we aproach the Hawthorne's home I give a gentle knock on the door to be sure not to wake anybody up. Mike comes to the door almost immediately.

"Oh, hey Aza-" he starts but then he sees Natalia.

"Uh, Mike in case you haven't met her this is Natalia. Natalia, this is Mike." I say introducing them to eachother.

"Yes, I know Natalia it's just that I didn't expect to see her with the most anti-social girl I've ever met." he says almost laughing at me.

I just roll my eyes at him and hold up the game bag. "Here. It's a beaver. I shot it this morning."

"Why were you out this early when it's this cold out? And why'd you bring her?" he asks indicating to Natalia.

"Getting up early never hurt anybody. And Natalia wanted shooting lessons so I gave them to her." I tell him as he let's Natalia and I into his house.

"Ugh. Seriously Mike? It's like only almost nine and you let her come over?" says Tameka disgusted as she walks into the room.

"Tameka, be nice to her please." says Mike sounding extreemly annoyed.

"Well, maybe I would be if she weren't such a-" she stops when she sees Natalia.

"Well at least you brought a decent looking girl with you. What's your name sweetie?" says Tameka now sounding like a sweet and wonderful person to be around.

I wonder how she was going to finish her sentence...If I weren't such a what? Oh well, it's not like I care what Tameka thinks.

"I'm Natalia." she says shaking Tameka's hand.

"I'm Tameka, Mike's sister. Did Mike bring you here?" she asks.

"No, I actually came with Azalea. She was giving me hunting lessons." says Natalia.

Tameka doesn't look impressed.

"If I were you sweetie, I'd find a few nice pretty girls to be friends with instead of hanging out with the likes of that." she says giving a little nod to me.

Natalia looks a little conflicted as Tameka gives her a sweet smile and turns to me with the usual death glare I get from her whenever I see her. She then struts off in her prissy little walk that I hate so much.

Tameka treats me like I'm the world's most disgusting, disgraceful little prostitute. Ha. Look who's talking! I'm not the one who actually dresses like a prostitute and got pregnant at that young age. The Hawthorne's tried to get a handle on her but never could. I'm surprised they still let her live with them.

"Just ignore her Azalea. I don't know what reason she has to be so mean to you but none of it's true okay?" says Mike obviously thinking my feelings have been wounded by his obnoxious sister.

"Believe me, I'm long past caring what Tameka thinks of me. I'm long past caring what anybody thinks of me. I've had to live with people's opinions my whole life so it's nothing new." I say shrugging.

"Well maybe, but she still has no right to treat you like that." says Mike.

"Oh please, I know she's told you what she thinks of me, you're just to worried about my feelings to tell me." I say to him.

"Am not." he denies.

"Are too." I shoot back.

"Okay fine you want me to tell you?" he asks.

"Yes!" I say.

"I thought you were past caring what she thinks?" he says accusingly with that know it all smile plastered across his face.

"I am! I just want to know why she hates me so much." I say pleadingly.

"Okay fine. She says it's because you're a spoiled brat." he tells me.

"She is not!" protests Natalia speaking up for me.

"I know she's not but for some reason my sister seems to think she is." Mike says.

Half of Tameka's thoughts may be true. My dad spoiled me when I was little. I was his little girl and whenever I wanted something, I'd get it. Maybe sometimes without even thinking about thanking him, but he never expected me to.

I never considered that I may have acted like a brat though. The spoiling pretty much stopped when I stopped wanting things. I grew out of all the old toys and things. The only toy I played with from then on out was my bow.

Now that I think back on it, I used to be more like my father. I'd paint all the time, I would help him bake cookies, I'd wear pretty dresses and ribbons in my hair. I also used to be adorable, sweet and bubbly.

I don't know what happenned. I think it was as soon as I first picked up that bow and arrow. I lost interest in art considering I was never much good anyway, I almost never went with my dad to the bakery anymore, the pretty dresses and ribbons transformed into worn out shirts, pants, old leather boots and simple braids down my back everyday. The adorable, sweet, and bubbly Azalea Mellark turned into a reserved, almost unfriendly grim stranger. I realize now why.

It was when I was first told about the Games. When I started being treated differently.

I was destined to be like my mom. No matter how much I like to deny it, I'm exactly like her in so many ways. That became clear as I transformed from a sweet and desirable little girl who accepted cameras and greetings from strangers without even really knowing why she was getting them, to a reserved and grim set teenager who avoided people as often as she could.

The press and people started quieting down once I got older and there wasn't much more to see. They didn't return until Justin was born. I was still the sweet little bubbly thing I was before, but I was nothing new.

However, I was something new the next time the cameras showed up.

I was twelve and Justin was six. They came to do interviews on my whole family, which I had loved a long time ago before I knew why people cared so much about me.

The girl they found this time was no longer wearing the adorable outfits with the two pig tail braids. It was me. With my grime covered body from being out in the woods, old clothes with my grandfather's oversized hunting jacket, and a poorly done messy braid down my back.

That was the time I pushed the cameras away.

**I don't know why but this was probably my favorite chapter so far to write! I just really connected with Azalea this time and the words just poured out! Please R&R! It means so much to me! **

**The faster you review, the faster I update!:)**


	11. Live Like You're Dying

**A/N: Come on guys! I only got three reviews last chapter. :,( PLEASE R&R! Thanks:) Enjoy!**

"No." I flat out say.

"Please! Come on Azalea you have to come!" Natalia begs me.

"Nope." I tell her shutting my locker.

"But why not? I'm going!" she whines.

"Great. Tell me how it goes. Or don't. I really don't care." I say pulling my backpack over my shoulders and starting down the school hallway.

"Why don't you want to go? It'll be fun!" she begs.

"Because, parties just aren't my thing." I say as she catches up to me.

"How would you know? You've never been to one!" she complains. Man she was persistent.

"Yeah, and I don't plan to. It's just some get together giving kids an excuse to drink until they're completely wasted and make out against a wall." I tell her disgusted.

"We don't have to hang out with those people! We can just go for the food and the dancing!" she exclaims.

"I don't dance." I tell her.

"Fine then we can go for the food! We don't even have to stay long!" she begs.

"Well..." I start.

"Come on! There's a chance you or I could be dead in a matter of months so we might as well take advantage of a good party while we still have it." she says.

I think that's the first time we've even entered the topic of the new Hunger Games into one of our conversations.

I sigh. "Fine. But, I'm not drinking and we're only staying for two hours."I say.

Natalia squeals with excitement. "Yes!"

"Why are you so excited to go to a party anyway?" I ask her as we exit the front door of the school.

"I don't know. It just sounds like something new. And you HAVE to be there considering it's probably going to be the biggest party of the year!" she exclaims.

"Me? Why is it so important for me to be there?" I ask her.

"Uh, because imagine the reaction if Azalea Mellark made an appearence! You never do anything!" she says.

"That's because like I said, I don't do parties." I say.

"You never go to any of the school dances either." Natalia tells me.

"That's because I'm not a social butterfly like you." I tell her.

"I just don't think people in general are your sort of thing." she says.

"That's right. They aren't." I tell her.

I look over toward some of the shops and see about three reporters with cameras.

"Especially people who bring cameras. Come on, let's go get Justin and find Mike and Rayman before they see me." I say pulling Natalia by her wrist.

"How can you be so sure they're here for you?" asks Natalia as we see Justin come through the door.

"Well I can't be but whenever reporters see me they always want some kind of an interview no matter what they're actually in the area for." I tell her as I see Justin walk over.

"Hi sissy. I made this for you in school today." says Justin handing me something.

I look down at Justin's art and see he painted a picture of me with my bow and and an arrow zipping through the air. I see that there's writing underneath the well painted picture.

_This is my sister Azalea. She's my hero because she is always here for me and she can shoot any bad guys that will try and hurt me. She sings really good even though she doesn't like it when I hear her. Azalea looks like my mother and is tougher than all of the boys. If anything ever happenned to my sister I would be sad. She's my hero._

"I'm you're hero?" I ask him with a smile creeping onto my lips.

"Yes." he says with his big toothy grin.

I kneel down and pull my little brother into a hug. He hugs me back.

"Thank's Jus, I'm going to keep this forever." I tell him.

"There must be something in here you can wear!" Natalia exclaims apalled at my apparently "Bland and tasteless" wardrobe.

"I don't see why I can't just wear pants and a shirt." I tell her looking down into my history book while Natalia continues to sift through my closet.

"Because it's a party. You don't wear plain clothes to parties." she says.

"If you're looking for something to wear hun, you aren't gonna find anything nice in there." says Johanna walking in and plopping herself down on her air mattress.

I place my pencil down on my book. "Do you mind?" I ask Johanna.

"Yes." she says flatly.

"Johanna!" I half snap half whine.

"Azalea." she mimmicks in the same tone. "What are you two doing anyway?"

"Nothing." I say annoyed.

"If you don't tell me than I'll go get your mommy so you can tell her." Johanna playfully threatens.

I just roll my eyes. "Johanna, I'm not five. That doesn't work anymore."

"Just tell me." she says.

"We got invited to Taylee Markenno's fifteenth birthday party and Azalea's being a little party pooper." Natalia answers for me.

"Wait, wait, wait, Taylee Markenno? That's the girl who I uhh..." I stop.

"Beat up. She's the girl you beat up Azalea." says Johanna almost amused.

I just glare at Johanna while Natalia turns to me.

"You beat her up?" she asks with disbelief.

"You should've heard the things she was saying about my mom! And it's not like she didn't fight back!" I defend myself while Johanna just sits there laughing her head off.

"Well what did she say?" asks Natalia turning back to my closet apparently not comprehending the fact that she wasn't going to find a dress in there.

"Oh I don't know, my mom hides in attics and eats raw squirells, which she doesn't! I mean, she doesn't even hide in closets anymore! And she cooks the meat after she hunts it!" I complain.

"Why didn't you just ignore her?" Natalia asks making it sound so easy.

"Because it was continuous! Believe me if you would have been in my position, you would've wanted to smash her face in too." I tell her stretching out on my bed.

"Well I doubt she remembers it." Natalia says.

"I broke her nose!" I exclaim. There's no way Taylee would forget that.

"Well then steer clear of her at the party." Natalia says.

"Why are you so eager to go?" I ask.

"Because I've never been invited to a party before." Natalia says almost sadly.

"She invited you?" I ask.

"Well, yeah. She said I could bring a friend." she says a little to innocently.

"I doubt she knows the friend is me." I tell her. I then sigh.

"Natalia just give it up. I have no pretty clothes whatsoever."

"Well then I guess you'll have to come with me shopping." she says pulling me out my bedroom door by the hand.

"Natalia, I don't like this. Can I please just leave?" I ask nervously as we make our way through a huge croud of people at Taylee Markenno's house.

"No! It'll be fun trust me!" she says.

So far, I've been at this party for less than five minutes and I already want to leave. Natalia has me dressed in a dark blue dress that hugs my body and stops a little above my knees. I feel extremely uncomfortable with my dark brown elbow length hair in loose curls instead of in a braid.

"Oh come on! You look amazing!" she says yelling over the loud music.

"Whoah! Is that you Azalea?" asks Mike walking over to me.

"No." I say turning towards the door only to have Natalia still holding on to my arm.

"Yes, it is. Doesn't she look amazing?" Natalia bubbly exclaims.

"You do look really good Azalea! Come on, there's some people I want you to meet." he says leading Natalia and I out the back door into the backyard of Taylee Markenno's home.

I see he's leading us towards a group of four people. Three boys and a girl.

"Oh, hey guys!" Natalia greets the kids who I recognize as classmates of ours.

"Hey Natalia." greets the girl who appears to be extremely pretty with curly light blonde hair and green eyes.

"Guys, this is Azalea." says Mike guesturing to me.

"Hey Az-wait a second..." says one of the boys with red hair and green eyes.

"Azalea Mellark!" exclaims the girl.

"I can't believe you actually showed up to something!" exclaims one of the boys with shaggy blonde hair.

"I barely recognized her! I think the last time I saw her with her hair down was when she was...five maybe?" says a boy I immediately recognize as the son of District 12's deli owner.

Chase. That was his name. He was a dark haired, grey eyed boy indicating his relatives were from the Seam. Considering the deli needed bread for sandwhiches, he was a constant customer in my father's bakery. We were basically aquantances. Kind of like Natalia and I once were.

"Uhhh hi." I tell them looking down at my feet.

"Azalea doesn't talk much but she's really awesome." says Mike.

I don't know why people are always trying to make me seem like a delightful person.

"It's nice to finally meet you, I'm Keely." says the blonde haired green eyed girl holding her hand out for me to shake.

"I'm Trey." says the read head boy doing the same.

"I'm Royce and this is my twin brother Luke." says the shaggy blonde haired boy guesturing to a dark haired boy who shares pretty much all the other features.

"Hi." I say to all of them looking back down at my feet.

"This probably annoys you when people tell you this but I must say, you look exactly like your mom. Well, except for the eyes. Those definetely come from your dad." says Keely looking me up and down.

There's the eye comment again.

"Oh uhh, it's fine. I get that a lot." I say giving a little smile.

"So, what's it like being the daughter of the two most famous set of lovers there is?" asks Royce.

This is why I hate meeting new people. I always feel like I'm being interviewed.

"Oh, nothing special. They're just mom and dad to me." I say.

"It still must be really cool." says Trey.

"Yeah, I guess." I tell him.

"Hey everyone! Thank you so much for coming!" calls a voice in which I don't wish to hear.

Taylee Markenno comes running up to us (which looks odd because she's in high heels) to greet our group!

"Thank you for coming! I love you all-" she stops abruptly when she sees and recognizes me.

"Who invited you?" she says disgusted.

"Me, myself and I." I lie in the same disgusted tone.

"Shouldn't you be out with your mommy snacking on decomposing raw squirells?" she asks meanly.

"I did that before I came." I say giving her a fake cheesy smile. I then breathe on her face.

"Ew! You sicko!" she exclaims running away.

The group of kids around me begin laughing like crazy.

"I still remember when you two got in that fight a few years ago!" says Keely still laughing.

"You don't really eat decomposing raw squirells do you?" asks Chase.

"No." I say laughing a bit.

The rest of the night went okay I suppose. The food was good and the kids Mike introduced me to were pretty nice. I still don't think I'm the party type though.

**Yeah, I know. This definetely wasn't my best chapter! I had some fun writing it though so I hope you liked it! The reapings are coming soon! Please review and I update faster!**

**Also, XxNicoleBbxX is hosting an SYOT that needs some tributes! Please help her out and submit one! :)**


	12. I Should Have Known Better

I walk along the fresh green grass of the meadow. It's Spring.

The reaping for the Hunger Games is exactly one week from today. People in District twelve are becoming edgier and more reserved. They are also desperately trying to spend as much time with their families as possible.

My family doesn't have that option. It seems like my parents are gone at the Justice Building, almost every time I wake up in the morning until dusk. I've taken full responsibility for Justin whenever my parents are gone, which is more often than not. No one's allowed to know the subject of the meetings so the reason for my parents' absences are a mystery to me.

But today is Sunday, and they'll be home all day so I've decided to take a walk in the meadow.

I don't really know why I chose the meadow but I remember days years ago when Justin and I would run and chase eachother here with our parents sitting together somewhere off in the distance. It gave me a sense of comfort almost, I guess.

But I don't know why, because it's also a graveyard. Hundreds of dead bodies permanently lay right below where I stand. There's a huge stone memorial right in the middle with every dead citizen's name carved on it. Primrose Everdeen is among them, although I know she died in the Capitol.

I sit myself down right next to the huge stone memorial and place a dandelion at the foot of it.

"I'm sorry you all had to die." I whisper softly with only the light rustle of the trees in the soft breeze in response.

I don't know why I picked this day to come here and do this. I guess I felt like I owed them something. I've lived in a free country for fourteen years and I don't think I really appreciated it while I had it. These people never got that. I think I spend about an hour in the same spot before I get up to walk home.

_Katniss's POV_

I thought it was over. It's supposed to be over. How could this have happened?

I only agreed to have them because the world was safe. I knew they would never have to face the reapings like I did. I swore to myself I would never let them get hurt like I did.

I should have known better. There are still people alive that were against the rebellion. But apparently there are more than I thought.

Azalea's going to be the target for them. I just know it.

Azalea. My sweet and innocent little girl. Well, definitely not so little any more. As I see her off in the distance sitting in the meadow, I know she's not. She's growing up that's for sure.

I still remember the day she was born as if it were yesterday. Peeta had been begging to start a family from the day we got married, and so you can only imagine how ecstatic he was when I found out I was pregnant.

He was overjoyed, while I was terrified.

The months of pregnancy passed by a little quicker than I wished them to. I dreaded the first ultrasound because that proved that she was real and there was no going back.

When my water broke, I was sitting at the dinner table with my mom and Peeta. At first, I didn't know what was happening but it didn't take long to figure it out.

Peeta went into immediate freak out mode. Yes, calm and collective Peeta was freaking out. I decided to have her at home because I hate hospitals. They bring too many horrible memories back from my time in the Hunger Games.

I've felt a lot of pain in my life, but childbirth about tops them all. Not to mention the terror I was feeling that day about bringing a child into the world. I felt like I had no idea what I was doing, and the truth is, I didn't.

I got the hang of it though. In her early years, she was just like Peeta in almost every way. Sweet, innocent, loveable, cheery, talkative.

I spent time with her all the time out in the woods teaching her how to hunt. She loved the outdoors, you could just see it in the light blue eyes she inherited from her father.

She was the bubbliest and most friendly little girl you could meet. Then came the year we told her about the Hunger Games.

Something changed in Azalea that year. She became less friendly to people and refused to do any more of the interviews that all of Panem loved.

Her adorable wardrobe was replaced with worn out shirts, pants, and hunting boots. Her pigtail braids turned into a messy braid down her back. That bright smile you'd always see on her face transformed into what seemed like a permanent scowl.

She was turning into somebody that I knew all too well. Me.

I tried my best to do everything for her that a mother could, unlike what my mother gave me. But Azalea fends for herself. She doesn't need anybody to survive. Or at least she thinks she doesn't.

The day she met Mike Hawthorne in the woods was probably when my nightmares became ten times more awful than they usually are. Memories of Gale and the possibility that he could've killed my little sister haunted me and even though our relationship has healed, they still do.

Azalea and Justin are more than I deserve. I can't believe that I've been stupid enough not to see this coming. My daughter's going to be in the reaping this year, and she's going to be picked. There's no doubt about that.

And I did that to her. It's all because of me and that stunt with the berries all those years ago, that she's getting hurt everyday.

And now I feel like I can't even spend time with my own kids! I'm being forced to go to top secret rebel meetings, and I can't even tell my own children why I'm leaving them everyday! I'm not even sure if I'm doing the right thing…

I'm going to be the Mockingjay again.

**Well, there was a look into the mind of our beloved Katniss again How'd I do? PLEASE R&R! Every review means the world to me!**


	13. Times Are Changing

_Back To Azalea's POV_

As I make my way back home from hunting, I see something near the shops that disturbs me. There's a woman in tears with a Peacekeeper pointing his gun at her, yelling something I can't hear from my location. So of course, curiosity gets the best of me and I start in the direction of the woman and the Peacekeeper.

"You stole it!" growls the Peacekeeper at the hysterical woman that I recognize as one of the bakery's best customers.

"I-I-I didn't! I bought it! It's mine!" she cries sounding scared out of her wits. There's a crowd gathering around them now. Including me.

"I paid twenty cents for that loaf of bread you wretched hag! Now hand it over before my bullet makes its way into your thick skull!" he yells making the woman sob harder.

With shaking hands I see her pull a small loaf of bread from her jacket pocket. Unmistakably one that my father made.

"Hey!" I yell without thinking. Every single eye turns towards me. The Peacekeeper starts towards me and grabs me by the collar of my shirt.

"And who do you think you are to just-" he stops abruptly as a rush of recognition sweeps over his hard and cruel face.

He releases my collar but his glare remains. "Azalea Mellark is it?"

"The one and only." I retort.

"You best be minding your own business girl." He warns.

"Well what right do you have taking this woman's bread?" I challenge.

"She stole it out of my pocket!" he yells with his bad breath rushing onto my face.

"Really? Because she's in my father's bakery just about every week on this day buying a loaf of this bread." I say pointing to the small loaf that remained in the woman's trembling hand.

The Peacekeeper gives me a death glare. "You're just as insolent as your mother." He spits.

"I'll take that as a compliment." I hear what can only be my mother from the crowd. I then see her pushing through the mob of people.

I hear whispers of "Katniss Everdeen" erupting from what used to be the silent as a stone audience. Her name's Mellark now of course, but she's still known as Katniss Everdeen.

"Oh." says the Peacekeeper in a disgusted tone. "And I was almost having a pleasant day."

"Likewise. Now may I ask why exactly you're pointing a gun at my daughter?" she asks keeping calm.

The Peacekeeper points his gun at my mother's heart. "You'd best be teaching your brat of a daughter to mind her own business and you too _Mockingjay." _ He spits. He then hits her across the head with the butt of the gun.

Gasps erupt from the crowd. He then hits her on the other side of her head leaving what I know will be big bruises on each side of her head.

"Hold it!" I hear someone yell from the crowd. I then see Haymitch and my dad come running out of the mob of people.

My dad runs over and embraces me in a protective hug while Haymitch takes my mother's head in his hands and turns it from side to side examining it.

"Oh wonderful. Just wonderful." He says turning to the Peacekeeper. "She'll be going to the Capitol to mentor and she's got to look perfect for the cameras! You think this is gonna look very good on camera? Huh!" Haymitch demands.

"That little brat was interfering in a crime scene!" he says pointing to me. My dad increases his protective embrace on me.

"And she was interfering with my handling on the little brat!" he says pointing to my mother.

"Oh. And what exactly was this crime that required you to wreak havoc and hit a woman on the head with the butt of your gun?" demands Haymitch.

"That hag stole bread from me!" he yells pointing to the defenseless woman that he had accused.

"What bread? May I see it?" asks my father to the woman.

She nods and hands him the loaf of bread. He examines it and turns to the Peacekeeper.

"No, you're mistaking. I remember her coming in this morning and buying it!" my dad tells him.

"Now if you don't mind, leave this area before I report you to the Capitol for interfering with the Games!" Haymitch threatens.

The Peacekeeper shoots us a dirty look and starts off in another direction with his gun in hand.

"Are you alright Katniss?" my father asks my mother with concern examining the swelling on her head.

"I'm fine Peeta. I've had worse." She says. Them and Haymitch give eachother looks of remembrance . I hate it when they do that because I feel so left out.

"Alright everyone, back to your business!" Haymitch calls to the crowd. Everyone then starts chattering away and going about their normal business.

Things are changing.

**A/N: I'll be updating tomorrow! Well I guess I should say tonight because it's about midnight now where I am. It's the moment you've all been waiting for!...**_**The Reaping.**_** Dun Dun DUN! Haha, please R&R!**


	14. The Reaping

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I've taken forever to update…I know I said I would the next day after my last update but…I lied Hopefully this chapter will make up for it though!...THE REAPING. Enjoy **

I sit in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection as my mother elaborately braids my hair in complete silence.

I can feel her hands trembling.

I'm in the nicest outfit I have, a pretty baby blue sundress and white sandals. Reaping clothes.

It's truly amazing how fast your life can change.

_Katniss's POV_

I always get nightmares, but not near as bad as they have been ever since the New Capitol took over.

I used to always have the comfort of waking up and being able to have Peeta tell me that we lived in a safe world. That the dreams were not real.

But I don't have that luxury anymore. I'm reliving my worst nightmare as I stand on that stage with Peeta just as tense next to me.

I look out into the crowd of hundreds of terrified kids and I know my daughter's out there among them. I glance over at the girls' reaping ball. Azalea only has 6 entries, her being fourteen. Maybe they'll play it fair and she'll be safe. Oh how I hope they do.

The new mayor of District 12 starts the reaping by introducing Effie Trinket, who is trying her very best to act giddy with excitement like she used to be, but is obviously just as scared as we all are.

"And it is an honor for me to present District twelve's past three victors, Mr. Haymitch Abernathy, victor of the 50th annual Hunger Games, Miss Katniss Everdeen, victor of the 74th Hunger Games, and Peeta Mellark, victor of the 74th Hunger Games." The mayor announces. He's trying to make it sound like Peeta and I were victors of different Hunger Games, that's what he's doing. I think they're also trying to act as if Peeta and I aren't married by using my maiden name. Or maybe I'll just always be Katniss Everdeen to everyone.

"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds uh…be ever in your favor!" Effie trills nervously. She then quickly grabs a slip out of the girls' reaping ball as if she just wants to get it over with.

"Azalea Mellark!" she calls out and then rechecks the piece of paper to make sure she read it right. And she did.

No. No. No. No. No. This is not happening, how could it? She can't go! I can't lose anybody else! Especially not my daughter who is one of the very few people I'm certain I love! I release a sound that's a mix of a cry and a groan. Peeta clutches my hand and makes a similar sound.

And then I see her. All the blood drained from her face as she holds her hands in fists at her sides. Everything is dead silent as the crowd of kids make a path for her to mount the stage.

It's happening all over again. I think back to Prim, how I knew I had to volunteer for her. But this time, there's nothing I can do.

_Azalea's POV_

You know it's really not that surprising.

Deep in my heart, I knew my name would be called. It was stupid of me to even consider that I would be safe. Of course I wouldn't be. They want nothing more than to destroy my family.

As I make my way toward the stage I get pats on the back from kids I barely even know and whispers saying "Good luck Azalea." And whispers to each other like "I knew it would be her."

Once I'm on the stage I try to make my face free of emotions. I think it's working because when I look up at the big screen I appear to be almost bored.

"N-now for our boy tribute!" Effie stammers in a croaky voice. She reaches in and pulls out a slip of paper and reads out the name. I'm just glad Justin's not old enough for the reaping yet.

"Mike Hawthorne!" Effie calls out.

Oh no. No! I hadn't even thought about Mike's name being called! This can't be happening to me! I can't kill my best friend!

But before I can have any further thought, I'm hearing a familiar voice. "I volunteer as tribute!" the voice calls.

As I see the volunteer push past Mike, I recognize him as Chase. The boy I met at the party, whom I'd see in my father's bakery on occasion.

Why would he do that?

"Oh! Uhh, what's your name son?" asks Effie looking very confused.

"Chase Donokay." He answers in a voice he's trying to keep steady.

Why on Earth would he do that? Why on Earth would anyone do that!

As the old Anthem of Panem plays, I look Chase straight in the eyes and whisper two words.

"Thank you."

**Soooo…how'd I do on the reapings? Still not sure if I got Katniss right…Review with your honest opinion please! If there's anything I can do better, please don't be afraid to tell me!**


	15. Goodbye For Now

**Author's Note: Just want to say thank you to all of the reviews you guys left! It makes me feel so amazing when I read one and I take each and every one to heart.**

Almost instantly after the anthem ends, two peacekeepers each aggressively take one of my arms and haul me into the Justice building.

I never really liked being touched so as they drag me along I'm muttering an impressive line of profanity that I'm sure my parents wouldn't approve of. But frankly, I don't care because my parents are nowhere in sight and I basically was just given a death sentence.

They harshly throw me down on a velvet couch and leave the room, slamming the door behind them.

I wait for about ten minutes before I get my first visitor. A peacekeeper opens the door and Justin comes sprinting into my arms and starts to cry. I want nothing more than to cry with him but I know there'll be cameras at the train station and I can't risk looking like a coward.

I slowly release Justin and cup his tearstained face in my shaking hands.

"Justin, you have to promise me something. Something important okay? So I need you to listen very carefully." I say slowly. In response, he sniffles and slowly nods his head.

"When I'm gone, you're going to have to be the man of the house. Greasey Sae, do you remember her? One of our old babysitters?" I ask him. He nods his head.

"Well her granddaughter Macie will be staying with you while Mommy, Daddy, and me are away. You have to promise that you're going to protect her and the house alright?" I ask him.

He nods his head. His eyes brighten up at the thought of being the man of the house, but they're still sad.

"You know how I said I was going to teach you how to hunt one of these days?" I ask him.

He sniffles. "Yeah."

"Well, since I'm not going to be able to, but I promise, if you go and ask Mike to teach you, he will. You know where my bow and arrows are, they might be a little big for you yet but when you're older, I promise you can use them. Mike will show you how to make one yourself and maybe, if you get good enough by the time the Games are over, you can even show mommy! How's that sound?" I ask him trying my hardest not to cry.

"I-I can't do it. I'm too little and I'm not strong like you are." He says looking down at his shoes.

"Yes you are! Do you know who you're the son of? Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark! The two strongest people in the world!" I say smiling though my eyes glitter with tears.

"They're the strongest people in the world?" he asks sniffling.

"I think so don't you?" I ask him.

"Well, I-I know mommy's the best bow and arrow shooter in the world. And daddy can lift anything." He says still crying a bit.

"And you know what makes them even stronger?" I ask him.

He shakes his head. "They've been through more in their lives than anyone you would ever meet! And they're still here." I tell him moving his wavy blonde hair off his forehead and staring into his grey eyes.

He sniffles again and looks at me with the saddest look I've ever seen. "Will I ever see you again?" he asks.

How can I tell him that odds of me coming home are a million to one? That after I'm gone, he's going to have to be the one to do all the things that I won't be there to do anymore?

"We'll see each other again. It may not be anytime soon but…we'll see eachother again…someday." I tell him.

"Will you sing me the song?" he asks.

"The song?" I ask walking over to sit down on the velvet couch to where he is now laying down.

"You know. The one mommy sings." He says.

I remember it now. How could I not? It was the one my mother sang to Rue in the arena as she died. It's the one she still sang today. While she was doing the dishes she would hum it. Whenever Justin or I would wake up from a bad dream she would take us in her arms and sing it softly in our ears in the most beautiful voice that I know.

"Umm, alright." I sigh taking Justin in my arms.

I begin the song quietly and softly.

"_Deep in the meadow, under the willow. A bed of grass, a soft green pillow. Lay down your head, and close your eyes, and when they open, the sun will rise. Here it's safe, and here it's warm, and here the daisies guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet. And tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you."_

I look over at my brother to see there are more tears streaming down his face. I bring him closer in my arms.

"_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away, a cloak of leaves a moonbeam ray. Forget your woes and let your troubles lay, and when it's morning they'll wash away. Here it's safe, and here it's warm. And here the daisies guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true and here is the place where I love you."_

Justin looks up at me and starts to sing softly with me.

"Deep in the meadow hidden far away. A cloak of leaves a moonbeam ray. Forget your woes and let your troubles lay, and when it's morning they'll wash away. Here it's safe and here it's warm. And here the daisies guard you from every harm, here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you."

We both look at each other as we finish the lullaby.

"_Here is the place, where I love you."_

"Azalea, what is that place in the song?" he asks me.

"I don't know." I tell him. "I suppose it's anywhere you want it to be.

"Is that where you go after you die?" he asks.

"I suppose it could be." I tell him.

But when I think about it, it makes perfect sense.

Justin stands up and I do the same.

"Just try to win." he tells me.

Right then a peacekeeper enters and signals that our time is up. I embrace him in a tight hug but the peacekeeper only lets it last about five seconds before we're being pulled apart.

"I will! I promise!" I call after him. And then he's gone.

My next guests are the Hawthorne kids.

Mike holds out his arms and I don't hesitate to run straight into them.

"Why would he do that?" I exclaim referring to Chase.

"I have no idea! I have absolutely no idea!" he exclaims.

"Well, for whatever reason it was, I'm glad he did! I couldn't ever kill you!" I say.

"I could never kill you either." He says.

We all sit in silence for the next ten minutes or so. And then a peacekeeper comes to summon them out.

"Show the country who you are you little brat." Says Tameka hugging me starting to cry.

And then they're dragged out and I know I'll never see my hunting partner and best friend, or his family ever again.

My last guest is Natalia.

For a few minutes we just stand there looking at eachother.

"You know, you were my first friend that was a girl. So, my second friend because I only have one other friend." I finally say to her.

"I've always admired you Azalea. The way you could shoot arrows, the way you didn't listen to anyone if they made rude comments to you. I'm glad we got to be friends even if it was for only a little while. I promise I'll never forget you." she says.

She knows it. She knows there's no chance I'm going to survive in there. It's obvious. I'm only fourteen and there will be older kids twice my size and older. There's just no way.

And that's just what the Capitol wants.

**How did I do on this chapter? Did I make the goodbyes sad enough? Please give your honest feedback.**

**Oh and before I forget, SecretChamp and I are co-writing a humor fic called 'Panem Idol'. We really need some reviews and it would be awesome if you guys could check it out and leave us a little feedback. Thanks!**

**R&R!**


	16. Leaving Home Behind

**I SAW THE MOVIE TODAY! It was absolutely amazing! Words can't even begin to describe it! It was definitely worth the wait! Now I'm depressed that it's over though….**

**Anyway, seeing the movie gave me the inspiration to finally type up this chapter for you guys! Sorry for the long wait! The fun stuff's beginning now. ;)**

**Soooo, how do you guys feel about **_**Chase's **_**POV? Well, here you are!**

**Chase's POV**

If somebody were to ask me right this moment why I did it, I wouldn't be able to answer them. Because honestly, I don't know why.

Maybe it had something to do with feeling sorry for her. No, I don't think that's the only reason why. I mean, the whole district feels sorry for her.

Could it have been the look of terror in Mike's eyes? And the look of terror in her's? Everyone knows they've been best friends for years. It'd be hard to miss.

I spoke out those words before I even had time to think them through. And I couldn't take them back. So as we speak, I sit in the back of a small car with Effie Trinket in the middle, and Azalea and me on either side.

"You two will absolutely adore the Capitol! It will help make matters better, I can assure you of that! The food, the fashion, and everything! It's all positively fantabulous!" Effie trills obviously trying to make us feel better.

It's obviously not helping though, because as I look over at Azalea, her eyes have both a look of terror, and sadness. Who can blame her?

Everyone in school knew she'd be picked. Why wouldn't she be? Perfect source of revenge for the Capitol. It doesn't take much brains to tell the drawing was rigged.

"Ah, here we are!" Effie says brightly as we reach the train station.

Azalea and I are herded through crowds of excited Capitol people with cameras. All those lenses pointed towards my face are making me feel uneasy but my district partner looks as if she notices nothing. She's probably used to all that attention.

Once we've finally shoved our way through the crowds, I realize we've been separated from Effie Trinket. She's probably entering at the other end of the train, along with Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta, meaning Azalea and I will be alone in the entry car where we were just shoved until Effie can make her way down here.

Azalea lets out a breath and plops down on a chair. I walk over and sit down in the one next to her.

"How do you think the Capitol will look?" I ask her.

No answer.

"Have you ever been there before?"

Still no answer from her. I look over and see her eyes looking down, filled with both terror, and sadness.

"I've heard the food's amazing there." I attempt again without success.

By the way her eyes look, I can tell she's listening to me, but has no intention of replying.

"Look if you don't want to talk, I understand. But we are district partners, we gotta make an effort here. We might be able to help each other out if we try." I say standing up and walking out of the entry car, going to find Effie myself.

The question is, would she be willing to help me out? We could be allies in this thing.

But if she won't be my ally, I'll find someone who will.

**Sooooo, what did you think?:) Review pleeeeaaaassse!**


	17. Any Plans?

**Hey guys So I went to see the movie again, and decided to update for ya'll! This is back in Azalea's POV and will not be as short as last time!**

As soon as I'm escorted to my room, the Capitol attendant who showed me there closes the door leaving me alone. I do the thing I've been holding in all day.

I grab a pillow and scream.

I scream for the terror. The sadness. The unfairness of it all…

The odds were definitely not in my favor today. It had nothing to do with odds. The drawing was rigged! My name was undoubtedly on every single slip of paper in that reaping bowl. I didn't even have a chance like everyone else did!

They're doing this to kill me, for revenge on my parents. And all the rebels.

I scream until my voice is almost gone, and then the screams turn into sobs.

I never cry. Well, at least not since I was little. I even remember the last time I cried. It was when I didn't get something I wanted I think. I was little, and it was probably a toy or something. I do remember getting it anyway though.

My dad spoiled me rotten.

I cry until I'm sure there's no more tears left in my body for me to shed. Effie then comes to rouse me for dinner.

I slowly get up and walk into the bathroom. My eyes are red and puffy from crying so I make an effort to clean my face up a bit.

As I walk into the dining room, I see everyone else is there but me. There's a chair for me next to my mother with Chase sitting on the other side. My dad's sitting on the left of my mother.

"Ah, there she is! Come sit down dear." Says Effie guesturing me over.

I sit down and immediately realize how hungry I am. Screaming and crying take up a lot of energy so before I know it I'm digging in.

I'm shoveling through the delicious food on my plate when my mom tells me to slow down.

"Lea, you're gonna choke, slow down." She says.

After that, I start to notice it's dead silent all except for the clatter of silverware and dishes.

"So, we gonna pair you two up as lovers?" Haymitch asks pointing his fork at Chase and I.

Haymitch's question stuns me so much that I literally topple off my chair, landing with a huge thud on the wood floor.

"Haymitch!" my mom exclaims rising from her chair to help me up. Haymitch is just laughing his head off.

"Sorry sweetheart, just trying to lighten the mood a little!" Haymitch says defensively. He's in no doubt drunk.

"Well it's not helping. And I didn't fall because of your question, I just dropped my fork and went down to get it." I lie.

"Sorry excuse sweetheart." Haymitch says.

"Well then what _is_ our strategy?" Chase asks making everyone go silent.

"What do you mean dear?" Effie asks.

"I mean, what's our strategy going to be." He says.

"For what, the arena?" asks Haymitch.

"For everything I suppose. Are we going to be a team? Are there any special training strategies we're supposed to use?" he asks hoping for an answer.

"Here's your strategy. Stay alive." Says Haymitch cracking up.

"Not funny Haymitch!" my mother scolds him again. When it comes to my family and Haymitch, I often wonder who the real children are. Me and Justin, or Haymitch.

"I'm serious." Chase says.

"Depends on what you're going for. What angle do you want to have? What alliances, or do you plan on any? Things like that. You'll have to get those things straight before you can devise any real plan." My dad says.

"I don't know. I guess I want an angle that will make people like me, to start out with." Says Chase unsure of himself.

"Well that you might not have much trouble with. You seem to be naturally likeable. It's Azalea here, that might have the trouble with people liking her." Says Haymitch.

"She's the daughter of Katniss and me, they love her anyway." Says my father.

"Of course, but will they when they get to know her? She doesn't exactly have the sunshiniest personality if you haven't noticed." Haymitch says taking a swig of his alcohol.

"What does it matter if they like me anyway? I'm as good as dead anyway!" I say.

"Lea, don't say things like that." My mom says.

"It's true though! I've got no chance of winning and you all know it! So just…quit acting like I have a chance!" I burst out.

Everyone is staring at me, and seeing as that makes me uncomfortable, I leave the dining room.

**Please Review! All the kind reviews you have left make me feel so special and help me out a lot. I know there are those of you who are reading and not reviewing. If I had a review from every one of you, it would make me the happiest girl in the world!**

**If I get more reviews, I update faster. **


	18. What Do You Want To Know?

Waking me up the next morning, is Effie, rapping loudly on my door. Something about having a lot to discuss about and prepare for the "Big Big Day".

I'm in no hurry to rise out of my soft, warm bed, but seeing as though I have no choice but to get up, I slowly pull myself from the covers.

I change into a light blue ruffled blouse and black pants. I don't even bother braiding my hair back, so it hangs down in its natural, long dark, waves.

By the time I make it to the area where meals are served, everyone's already finished eating. I'm not even hungry, but I go ahead and grab a muffin anyway.

I plop myself down in one of the chairs.

"What's up?" I ask nonchalantly.

"Today you'll be meeting your stylist and prep team. They'll be getting you ready for the opening ceremonies. You're not going to like at all what they do to you, but deal with it anyway." Explains Haymitch.

My mother then makes a face, probably remembering her experience.

"What is it exactly that they do to you?" I ask a little scared. I don't know why though. Getting made over should be the last of my fears right now.

"Oh, you'll see sweetheart." Haymitch says evilly.

I shoot him a dangerous glare.

"You need to make sure you two make an impression tonight. District 12' gonna be the chariot everyone's looking out for." Says Haymitch.

"Why's that?" I ask still picking at my muffin, although I already know perfectly well why.

"Well Chase here, volunteered for your boyfriend out of his good will. That's definitely something. He's also good looking-"

"Mike is not my boyfriend!" I snap interrupting Haymitch.

"And you, have all the popularity given to you." He snaps back turning to me. "But that won't last forever unless you can convince people your more desirable than that muffin!"

"He's right Azalea. No one who actually knows you really likes you except for Mike Hawthorne and Natalia Krafka." Chase says, scoring a laugh from Haymitch.

I know he meant it as a harmless comment, but it hurt.

"Well I don't like them either." I say sounding a little too defensive.

"I was kidding Azalea. You're just so quiet and reserved, so a lot of people misjudge you. You know how shyness is often mistook for snobbishness?" he says apologetically.

I nod.

"But you don't seem like a snob now that I'm getting to know you. All I'm saying is, try to work on being a little more outgoing. I think it'll help you in the long run." He says.

"He's right Lea. I was the exact same way. You're going to have to open up a little." My mother says.

I think that might be the first piece of Game advice I've heard from her.

After our conversation wrapped up at the table, we all head back to our rooms for some downtime.

I'm meandering down the hallways when I hear a voice behind me.

"Are you still mute or are you going to make an effort to socialize with me today?" Chase asks playfully.

I whirl around surprised to hear his voice. I pause and then say, "Guess we'll find out."

He chuckles.

"What's so important you need to say?" I ask.

"I just want to get to know you. Tell me about yourself." He says taking a seat on one of the plush chairs in the hallway.

"My name is Azalea." I say not really making an effort to tell him about myself.

He sighs. "I know that. I just want to know more about you. I like to socialize with the people I meet. I always did everytime somebody would come into the deli while I was working. I know you had shifts at your father's bakery. Didn't you do the same?" he asks.

"No." I answer.

"Well why not?" he insists.

"Because I don't really know how to start conversations with other people." I answer.

"Well practice right now! Ask me things about myself and I'll ask you things about you." He says.

"Okay fine. When you die in a few weeks, would you prefer a knife to the throat, or an arrow through your spleen?" I ask not really knowing why I would ask such a thing for fun.

He pretends to think long and hard about it. "Hm, I would have to say arrow to the spleen. Nice choice in organs by the way, where did you come up with spleen? Do you even know what a spleen is?" he asks laughing at me.

"All I know is that my mom ruptured hers in the war." I say.

He looks a little guilty because everyone in school knows that I'm sensitive to the kinds of topics like my mom and dad's scars and injuries.

"Let's just start over." He says. "So, Azalea, what's your favorite color?" he asks.

"Green." I answer. He then gives me an expecting look. "Oh yeah, uh, what's yours?" I ask.

"Blue. Now we go into the deeper questions. So if Mike isn't your boyfriend, then who is?" he asks teasingly.

I roll my eyes. "Nobody. My dad strictly has the rule clearly stating, that I am not allowed to date until age thirty five." I say mocking my father's over-protectiveness.

This makes Chase laugh. "So you're a bit of a daddy's little girl?" he asks.

I smile. "You might say that." I then giggle remembering the time he flipped out when I had to do a school project with a boy at age nine.

"What about you? Do you have the age thirty five rule or is there someone special for you?" I ask.

He smiles with a look of both love and sadness in his eyes. "Yeah, I do. Her name's Alahnna. We're still together. We didn't even break up because of the circumstances, we just agreed that we're forever eachother's. No matter what." He says sadly looking at the floor.

This confuses me because I don't even know what love is yet. But Chase and Alahnna seem to be really in love. The way his eyes look when he talks about her. It reminds me of my parents a little.

"I'm really sorry." I say sincerely.

"It's alright. So, tell me about your little brother. Justin right?" he says.

While Alahnna was a painful subject for him, my little brother is a painful subject for me.

"Yeah. His name's Justin. He means the world to me." I say.

"I can tell. And it appears you mean the world to him. Last month when we did the mentoring thing for the younger kids, he was in my group. The kids shared their writing papers and his was all about you. And how you were his hero." Chase says running his finger along the upholstery on the chair.

The words hit me hard, like someone just punched me hard on the chest.

I then remember the day Justin showed me the picture he drew of me. And the paragraph saying I was his hero.

Am I still his hero?

Yes. I am. Which means I have to try hard to win this thing. To get back to my little brother. I'll win for him.

Just then, I feel the train slowing and Chase looks up at me.

"Well, I think we've arrived." He says.

The Capitol.

**Author's Note: I know, I know. It's been over a month. My apologies, my mother grounded me.**

**I also am having a dissapointingly low amount of reviews! Come on guys! Please?**

**Also, as it was reviewed here, there will be no Chase and Azalea. But not to worry! I have her whole love life mapped out in my brain. And it's adorable too! But it won't happen until the sequel to Bonfire.**

**That's right, I said a sequal! Now REVIEW!**


	19. Make Them Love You

**Author's Note: I'm back!:D The virus protection on my computer has been installed and updated and I'm ready to start this thing back up again! So excited to be back!**

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I don't think my body has ever hurt this much before. As I sit on a cool metal table in a dimly lit room waiting for my stylist, my skin practically feels like it's on fire. It was an hour of all the hair on my body being ripped out, and continuously being soaked in foul smelling solutions. My skin feels raw and my jaw and head ache from clenching my teeth in pain so much. My nails have been shaped perfectly, fingers and toes. They also felt the need to trim and color my hair. It's now a slightly darker shade of brown than before and looks silkier and shinier.

I hear the door to the room open and I glance over to see a woman enter the room. She's obviously from the Capitol, as she's sporting blue hair, over the top makeup including teeny little diamond studs acting as eyeliner, and an outfit that looks more like a costume.

"Hello, I'm Baruka." She says in the famous Capitol accent. As I get a better look at her face, she's actually quite pretty and young.

After I don't say anything she speaks again. "Not much of a talker are you?" she asks.

I again respond with silence.

She chuckles. "I figure you wouldn't be. But you're eventually going to have to talk to me so we can discuss your chariot outfit."

"What is it? Fire?" I ask sarcastically.

Baruka smirks and shakes her head. "I think we can do you a little more justice than that. It's already enough that your name was called apparently just because of fate." She makes air quotes with her fingers when she says fate. "We really don't need to dress you up just like your mother. That would be way too cliché and expected."

"So I'm going to be dressed up like a coal miner?" I ask her.

She rolls her eyes. "Just because we're not giving them what they want by dressing you up like your mommy doesn't mean I'm going to waste how pretty you are by putting you in a coal miner's getup."

I'm surprised that she said I was pretty. I never expected somebody from the Capitol to be calling a some District 12 girl pretty.

Apparently the surprise plays out on my face because she says, "You're gorgeous my dear. You've got a near perfect complexion, an even skin tone, and your dark hair and blue eyes are absolutely lovely."

"Thanks." I say looking down at my feet.

Baruka sits on a chair near the table I'm sitting on. "I'm not a stuck up Capitol lady that's here to make your life miserable Azalea. It's terrible what they're doing to you, and I'm here to help you win."

I look up at Baruka's face which looks extremely serious. "How are clothes going to help me win?"

"How you look makes an impression on the audience. You look stunning, you get sponsors. Sponsors can mean the difference between your life and death." She says.

I sit in silence.

_My life and death._

Those words make it clear to me how real this whole thing is. I could die. Very soon. I'm probably going to die seeing as I'm only fourteen and most of the competition will be around eighteen.

"So what do you have planned?" I ask quietly.

She smiles a comically clever smile. "Have you ever heard the saying 'If you press on coal hard enough it turns to diamonds'?"

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I've never looked this beautiful in my entire life. The girl I see in the mirror does not even look like me.

The costume Baruka has put me in makes me look like I am made of diamonds. The top is white satin with a sweetheart neckline, with diamonds lining the neckline. The long sleeves are made entirely of little diamond studs. The top cuts off right above my stomach. The skirt is also white satin, and diagonal leaving one leg uncovered. The uncovered leg has been covered with a very thin white see through material with diamond swirls covering it. My shoes are also covered entirely with diamonds.

My hair has been done up with little ringlets hanging down. A diamond barrette has been added. Besides Baruka doing the "diamond eyeliner" thing like she did on her own eyes, I'm really not wearing much makeup. Just a light pink blush, mascara, and clear shiny lip gloss. The diamonds on my eyes really bring out the blue in my eyes.

To top of everything are dangly diamond earrings and a necklace with more diamonds than I can count.

I can't decide whether to say I look gorgeous or sexy. I guess I am both.

"You look amazing." Says Baruka with a smile.

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When we reach the bottom level of the remake center where the chariots are released, I immediately find Chase, his stylist, and my parents.

Chase is dressed in a tux that's practically made out of diamonds as well. His dark hair has been spiked up.

I can tell my parents are in awe about how I look, but I walk over to our chariot before they can say anything. I get embarrassed when people in groups compliment me for some reason.

Our chariot is coal black and so are the horses. As Chase and I are told to get in the chariot, my stomach explodes with butterflies. I'm more nervous than I think I've ever been.

_What if the crowd doesn't like me?_

_What if I embarrass myself?_

Many thoughts go through my head, but before I know it, the first chariot is going out. The District 1 tributes look stunning in colorful sparkly costumes, but not as stunning as we are. The District 2 tributes are dressed in metal outfits and look absolutely fierce. The only other district that made an impression on me was District 4. Their dressed in beautiful sea colors.

So far, 1 had the biggest impression on the crowd. I just hope 12 can top that.

Before I know it, the District 11 chariot is pulling out and I start panicking even more. Chase obviously notices because he says "Don't worry. The crowd loves you anyway."

I want to say "That's exactly why I'm so scared" but the words end up never leaving my mouth because light suddenly hits our chariot and the roar of the crowd is exploding my eardrums.

At first I have no idea what I'm supposed to do, but I look ahead at some of the other chariots and see that their waving and smiling. I decide to do the same thing.

On my first wave, the crowd erupts into hysteria. There are screams, flowers being thrown, people calling out our names, applause, some are even crying.

Crying for what though? My death, or are they happy tears? I'm guessing the second. Sick.

When our chariot pulls into the group with all the others, I see a man standing up on a balcony. A man whom I'd seen on the news on occasion…

President Roth.

He's not the real president of course, that would be President Paylor, however, he claims himself to be the new president of Panem. It's tyranny, really. He's not quite a succeeded tyrant, but he does seem to be getting his way right now. His way meaning, 23 children's deaths. 23 definitely including my own.

He makes a speech. The speech being almost an exact replica of the one President Snow gave before the 74th Hunger Games, and the whole entire time, he keeps his eye trained on one thing in particular…

And I'm pretty sure it's me.

**Author's Note: I don't ever want to type the word diamond ever again.**

**Haha, well I hope you enjoyed it! I certainly enjoyed writing it and I'd love to hear what you have to say.**

**:)(: See you soon!**


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